A Prayer about the Guidance We Really Need

by | Feb 16, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about the Guidance We Really Need

All-Wise God,

You know that every morning 

I look at my weather app 

to help me plan for my day—

how to dress, 

where to work out, 

when to walk my dog. 

So many of us seek guidance for life 

in little metal and glass boxes—

scanning the news headlines, 

scrolling through social media, 

seeking peace for our worries 

and guidance for living. 

Help us, Lord! 

Draw us to the truth 

that teaches and leads us 

to your holiness, kindness, 

and graciousness. 

Your Word instructs  sinners (Psalm 25:8); 

your Word shows us how to walk on your path, 

the path of “steadfast love and faithfulness” (Psalm 25:10). 

Your Word teaches the humble your way (Psalm 25:9). 

Your Word shows us the way we should choose—

what to do about that problem at work, 

how to show our children love through discipline, 

who to ask about help with depression and anxiety…

Lord, you have already turned to us 

and been so very gracious to us 

through the Living Word, 

your Son, our Savior. 

May we find comfort in affliction 

and companionship in loneliness 

as we embrace your wonderful Word. 

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Read Psalm 25. 

A Prayer about How Not to Judge

by | Feb 9, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about How Not to Judge

Holy Lord,

Help us to correctly understand your prohibition against judging. 

On the one hand, you “prohibit a critical spirit.”*

On the other, you do “not forbid the use of all critical faculty.”*

We are not to judge for a number of reasons: 

First, God is the only one worthy to judge us.

Second, we’ve got a blind spot 

as big as Texas 

blocking our view of  our own hearts.

Third, we’ve been forgiven our sins so fully by you, 

why would we judge someone else’s sins? 

On the other hand, you have provided us 

with wisdom and “righteous judgment” (John 7:24).

You have given us the Holy Spirit 

to show us what is true and what is false. 

And you instructed your disciples 

about an honorable way to approach a brother or sister 

when they have sinned against us.

Lord, only by your Spirit and by your guidance 

can we properly judge anyone or anything. 

May we enlighten our minds and hearts with your Word 

that we might live out your love in this world.

In your advocating name. Amen.

Read Matthew 7:1-6; John 7; 1 John 4:1. 

*I’m grateful for the Matthew commentary by Daniel Doriani that helped me understand this passage better. 

A Prayer about Getting Unstuck

by | Feb 4, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Joy

A Prayer about Getting Unstuck

Author God,

What a profound true story you have given us to demonstrate 

the only real hope for those of us who feel stuck—

whether stuck in sin, stuck in bad habits, or just stuck in life.

May we read this story and see 

how Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), 

how his revelation that he is the Messiah, 

the Christ, the King of our lives, 

changes everything when we believe it. 

The Samaritan woman, 

who had been stuck for a long time, 

dropped her water jar

and ran back to the very people 

she had just avoided 

to invite them to meet the Messiah (John 4:28-30). 

May we truly seek out the Jesus who seeks us out. 

May we find ourselves found in him. 

And may we become true worshipers—

those who worship in spirit and in truth (4:23). 

Read John 4:1-42. For more thoughts on this story, check out this weekly gospel meditation. 

A Prayer about Preventing Bitterness

by | Feb 3, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about Preventing Bitterness

Merciful Lord,

May we hear your dire warning 

to guard our hearts 

from the toxic root of bitterness.

Bitterness characterizes the unrighteous, 

whose “mouth is full of curses and bitterness, 

whose feet are swift to shed blood” (Romans 3:14-15). 

Bitterness characterizes the selfish, 

those who are “in the gall of bitterness 

and in the bond of iniquity” (Acts 8:23). 

Bitterness grows when we refuse to forgive. 

For those forgiven by you, 

bitterness makes no sense. 

Knowing the cost of our sins 

you paid on the cross, 

we pray daily, “forgive us our debts, 

as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). 

Knowing how fully you have forgiven us, 

we forgo resentment and bitterness, 

striving for “peace with everyone” 

insofar as it depends on us (Hebrews 12:15; Romans 12:18). 

In your grace-giving name. Amen.

Read Hebrews 12:14-15; Romans 3:10-18; Romans 12:9-21. 

A Prayer about the Foolishness of Sin

by | Jan 16, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about the Foolishness of Sin

Merciful and Forgiving Lord,

Thank you for this reminder 

that without Jesus, our Savior, 

we are all fools. 

Our sin nature, 

the nature with which we were born 

persists in telling us, 

“There’s no God. 

You are your own god. 

Do what feels right to you, 

because you rule!” 

Our sin nature whispers to us, 

“You’re a good person. 

You’re not nearly so bad 

as that guy down the street 

who always yells at his wife and kids.” 

The apostle Paul says, 

“All have sinned and fall short 

of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). 

David says, 

“There is none who does good, 

not even one” (Psalm 14:3). 

And yet, there is one who did do good, 

one who never sinned. 

And he came for us, 

to be our perfect sacrifice. 

He sent his Spirit to arouse us 

from our zombie status, 

to awaken us to the true wisdom of Jesus. 

Thank you, Lord, 

for such a great salvation. 

Thank you for making us “good” 

in Christ’s goodness, our only hope. 

Read Psalm 14. 

Get your free ten page story planner and other gospel-centered resources.

Send it now!

A Prayer about God Doing New Things in 2022

by | Jan 1, 2022 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living

A Prayer about God Doing New Things in 2022

Lord of New Things,

On this New Year’s Day, 

we celebrate all of the new things 

you have already done, 

and all of the new things 

you will one day do 

when Jesus returns.

We thank you for the very new thing 

you did at Christmas over 2000 years ago—

You sent your Son as a weak and weeping infant-king. 

We praise you for the redeeming work 

he has already done in our lives. 

We look forward to the new things 

you have planned to do in us this year.

How will we fulfill our created and re-created purpose 

to enjoy and glorify you this year?

May we not scribble shallow “resolutions” today 

that we will break by next week; 

may we write prayers of purpose, 

seeking your creative power 

to radically transform our lives, 

to make us people 

who love our families, our friends, 

our neighbors, and our enemies. 

May our resolutions be far less 

about what we will do in 2022 

and far more about who we will become.

In Jesus’ transforming name. Amen. 

Read Isaiah 43:1-4, 19-21. 

Get your free ten page story planner and other gospel-centered resources.

Send it now!